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Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders pp 1–8Cite as

Gastrointestinal Disorders and Autism

  • Living reference work entry
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Synonyms

GI issues; Nutritional issues

Definition

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disorders characterized by impairments in social interaction; varying degrees of verbal and nonverbal communication deficits; and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior and interests. The term includes autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) (Johnson et al. 2007).

A meta-analysis representing the first rigorous evaluation of evidence regarding GI symptoms in children with ASD, quantifying the past 32 years of research, indicate greater risk of general GI symptoms among children with ASD than in those without ASD, indicating that this population may be more prone to specific symptoms of abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea by greater than two- to threefolds (McElhanon, 2014).

In these children, a variety of gastrointestinal dysfunctions and associated symptoms have been reported...

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References and Reading

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Koorosh Kooros

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  1. Koorosh Kooros
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Correspondence to Koorosh Kooros .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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Kooros, K. (2018). Gastrointestinal Disorders and Autism. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_25-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_25-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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